Ralf Rangnick has told new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag he needs to perform “open heart surgery” on the fallen giants.
The United interim also admitted he does not know if he will return next season in a consultancy role and that the decision lies with ten Hag.
And, in a wide-ranging press conference ahead of the trip to Arsenal, Rangnick also confirmed that Paul Pogba appears to have played his last game for the club.
The 63-year-old German also criticised defender Eric Bailly, who responded to an Instagram message calling for him to be brought into the team in place of Harry Maguire with the word “please”.
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But on another day where United’s dysfunction was under the spotlight, Rangnick at least believes that, in Ten Hag, United have made the right appointment – even if he faces a massive rebuilding job.
“In football you’re not always on the bright side, right now we’re on the other side,” said Rangnick.
“The good thing is that it’s crystal clear it’s not that difficult, you don’t even need glasses to see and analyse where the problems are.
“Now it’s only about how do we solve them? For me it’s not enough to do some minor amendments, some little issues here and there and little cosmetic things.
“In medicine you would say that this is an operation of the open heart.
“There are more things to be changed than some little things here and some minor things there but this is the good thing.”
As Rangnick prepared for Saturday’s visit to Arsenal, a crucial fixture in the chase for a top-four finish, he acknowledged there are many issues for Ten Hag to handle.
And the expected departure of Pogba, after a largely unproductive six years at the club, is just one, although Rangnick could not offer any explanation for the Frenchman’s miserable stay with the club.
“It’s difficult to say. If myself or other coaches knew it would be easier to change that but I don’t know,” he said.
“As it seems right now he will not renew his contract and I don’t know, maybe the club or Erik will not want to renew his contract, I don’t know. It’s most likely he won’t be here anymore next season.
“We all know what kind of potential he has and what kind of good player he can be but he was quite like a few other players struggling to get his best performance sustainably on the pitch for a team like Man United.”
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“At least we have an agreement on that (consultancy) role,” he said. “But in the end it’s not a question about what’s written on paper or what’s agreed upon it’s about what will happen in every day life and every day business.
“This is the question and it’s also important how does Erik Ten Hag see that. Does he like to speak with someone like myself? Does he want to work together?
“These are the things we haven’t spoken about. For me I’m not worried about that. For me it’s not a question of having agreed upon a contract.
“I’m 64 very soon for me it’s not about having a contract on paper for me it’s about what will really happen. How much does Erik ten Hag and the board want my opinion and my experience, that’s what we haven’t spoken about.
“Of course I would want to be part of the process that has to happen. But again, right now I don’t know how this can happen and how this is really being appreciated.”
Another player whose future at the club appears limited is Bailly, whose social media activity irritated Rangnick.
“I can only tell you, never in my life will I be part of Instagram,” said Rangnick. “If it’s true what you told me that should not happen in a football club no matter in which league.”
Meanwhile, despite the air of gloom hanging over United, even in the wake of Ten Hag’s appointment, Rangnick believes United have the right man for the job.
“He’s a good character to start with, all I heard from people who work with him is that he is a very good character, very communicative, very much carries himself and does things himself,” he said.
“Obviously he needs the assistance of the whole club, all the people inside the club and I think he will get that and have the chance to mould a new team together with the scouting department and the board which is necessary, obviously.
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“For me this is the most vital part that the club manages to get in the best possible players, the attitude and the energy and for me it’s a question of energy we need positive energy for the new team and this is also important for the new manager.”
Rangnick welcomes back Cristiano Ronaldo, Scott McTominay and Raphael Varane to the team that performed so poorly at Anfield.
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